Formula 1 fans affected by the chaotic opening night of the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix will receive partial compensation following a settlement over the cancellation of FP1 and their removal from the grandstands before the delayed second practice session.
A Nevada court issued its final judgment on Sunday, August 2, bringing the legal dispute arising from one of Formula 1’s most controversial recent event launches to a conclusion. The case followed the track incident that severely damaged Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and disrupted almost the entire Friday programme in Las Vegas.
The settlement provides partial ticket refunds rather than the full amount sought by the spectators. Liberty Media and the Las Vegas Grand Prix agreed to make a substantial payment, although the figure remained below the claimed total of $3,047,986.
Las Vegas F1 compensation follows chaotic practice sessions
Formula 1 returned to Las Vegas in November 2023 after an absence of more than four decades. The new night race was intended to become one of the championship’s most spectacular events, but serious difficulties emerged within minutes of the first cars taking to the circuit.
During FP1, a loose track cover on the long straight in the final sector struck the underside of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari at high speed. The impact caused extensive damage and officials stopped the session approximately ten minutes after it had begun.
Ferrari was required to replace several components on the SF-23, including an energy store. Despite the exceptional circumstances, the stewards could not grant an exemption from the regulations, resulting in a grid penalty for Carlos Sainz and a major setback to his weekend.
The Spaniard later described the impact as the strangest incident of his career, explaining that the force had reached the chassis, seat area and power unit components. Ferrari’s mechanics nevertheless rebuilt the car in time for him to participate in the delayed second practice session, where Charles Leclerc ultimately set the fastest time ahead of Carlos Sainz.
Why spectators were removed before delayed Las Vegas FP2
Repair teams needed to inspect and secure the affected sections of the street circuit before Formula 1 could resume running. The work led to the cancellation of FP1 and delayed the start of FP2 by more than two hours.
The second session had originally been scheduled for midnight local time but did not begin until approximately 2:00 a.m. The delay created operational difficulties because the shifts of security and support personnel responsible for the spectator areas were ending.
Organisers consequently instructed ticket holders to leave the grandstands before FP2 began. Fans who had purchased expensive Friday tickets were therefore unable to watch the second session, despite the cars eventually returning to the track.
The exclusion intensified criticism of an evening already overshadowed by the track failure and the serious damage sustained by Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.
Fans pursued full refunds from Liberty Media
Legal action followed the disrupted programme, with affected spectators seeking full reimbursement for their Friday tickets. The claim focused on the postponement of FP2 and the subsequent decision to withdraw access to the grandstands before the session started.
According to the settlement statement, an agreement was reached between Liberty Media Corporation, the Las Vegas Grand Prix and spectators claiming an entitlement to partial refunds for the 2023 event.
The statement explained that the legal claim arose because the defendants postponed the second practice session and then revoked ticket holders’ grandstand access before FP2 began. It maintained that spectators had been removed without justified cause.
All of that language was converted into reported speech as part of the agreement’s explanation, while the final ruling confirmed partial rather than full compensation.
Carlos Sainz incident prompted changes in Las Vegas
The track-cover failure had consequences beyond the original race weekend. Organisers subsequently introduced new inspection and safety protocols in Las Vegas designed to prevent a similar incident.
For Formula 1, the settlement closes another chapter of an opening night that attracted attention for the wrong reasons. The disrupted sessions affected Ferrari’s competitive prospects, left paying spectators unable to watch FP2 and ultimately produced a legal dispute lasting well beyond the chequered flag.
The fans involved will not receive the full $3,047,986 sought in the claim, but the court judgment ensures that eligible spectators receive partial compensation for the access they lost during the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix practice programme.
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